SA: Police set upon in hotel disturbance at Ceduna

AAP General News (Australia)
08-21-1999
SA: Police set upon in hotel disturbance at Ceduna

ADELAIDE, Aug 21 AAP - Police called to a disturbance in a South Australian country hotel
early this morning were set upon by hotel patrons throwing rocks.

The incident began about 12.30am at a hotel in Ceduna, 792 km north-west of Adelaide, when
five visitors to the town on the Great Australian Bight were assaulted by up to 100 local
hotel patrons.

A police spokeswoman said the five men attempted to drive away but in the process ran into
two people.

A 22-year-old man has been transferred to Adelaide with serious head injuries as a result
of the car accident. A boy of 15 was treated for minor injuries.

The spokeswoman said police were also targeted by the locals when they arrived to break up
the disturbance.

"(The police) were set upon by a large group of people ... rocks were thrown, windows were
damaged and a police car was damaged as was the visitor's vehicle," the spokeswoman said.

She said one man had been charged with three counts of assault following the incident.
Police were still talking to witnesses in an attempt to lay further charges.

The driver of the visitor's vehicle has been charged with drink-driving offences.

AAP la/cjh

KEYWORD: CEDUNA

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